


And This Time Starsky Goes to Sleep For a Change....

by Curlew



Category: Starsky and Hutch - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Missing scene The Plague, h/c
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:34:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Curlew/pseuds/Curlew
Summary: Another bit of plague-related plot free H/C mush. This time Starsky gets a bit of C and about time too. Technically Gen, but my stories are all pretty Shippy, to be honest.......
Kudos: 26





	And This Time Starsky Goes to Sleep For a Change....

When it happened, it happened suddenly. Just before midnight, Hutch convulsed in one last pulse of pain, then fell back against the pillows, the restlessness and flush of fever draining away, leaving hm still and white. At first, Gil was too busy to look up, but when he did, Starsky was gone. Stifling a curse, he exchanged a few words with a colleague and flung out of the room, his tired brain turning over possibilities-possibilities abandoned with relief when he saw a blue clad figure sprawled bonelessly against the wall, hands on his knees, face resting on upturned palms.

Gil dropped to the floor, put an arm round him and shook him gently.

“Hey’

“I want to see him”

“Not yet. He....”

The dark head came up fiercely, eyes blazing.

“I’ve seen him in practically every state a man can be in- you think I won’t want to see him dead before you pretty him up?”

Shock flooded through Gil like ice water.

“Jesus, David, you poor bastard-it’s all right. He’s not dead”

‘Of course he is- I just saw him die”

‘No. You saw the fever breaking- sometimes it happens just like in the movies. Unless something unexpected happens, he’s going to be OK” 

For a long moment, Starsky stared at him. For a long moment, Gil thought he was going to get punched. Then shaking hands covered his face again.

“Why are you lying to me? I know what I saw”

“Starsk....”

“Don’t you fucking dare call me that! Just.....”

“I’m sorry. David. David, I’m not lying. Truly I’m not”

There was no answer-Starsky simply trembled. He was, Gil knew, a man on the edge. With infinite caution and gentleness, he reached out a hand. 

“St.....David- you’re strung out so thin I bet you feel you might break. You’ve had a hell of a time. Come with me to see him, then I’ll take you home” He knew Starsky, and knew that his valiant resilience was iron strong, but inflexible. Too much pressure and he would not bend, he would snap. Nobody had yet found out how much pressure was too much, but Gil instinctively knew that point had nearly been reached..

Unresisting, Starsky followed him-then stopped, like a jibbing horse, at the door. Gil took his arm.

“Come on in- it’s OK. Just be very quiet- this is the first natural sleep he’s had for 10 days and it’s what he needs more than anything. Now, can you see that monitor? That’s his heart. A bit fast, a bit thready- but fine. That’s him breathing you can hear- still shallow and wheezy, but no tent, no mask, just that cannula for a little longer, and look, his lips are pink’

Starsky looked at all these things wonderingly, still not believing.

“You want to touch? Here, this hand’s clear of clutter. Very gentle......”

Hutch’s IV free right hand lay, palm up, on the bed, and Starsky, trance-like, reached out a finger.

“Feel. Not burning up. Not cold. Just a little warm. Like a hand should be”

Hutch stirred at the touch, and Starsky froze. Gil put his own hand on the rigid shoulder.

“It’s OK. That shows you he’s asleep, not unconscious, Now come on- It’s time to go”

“Another minute”

“A minute. I’m counting the seconds”

For the first half minute, Starsky just looked. and listened, filling his empty heart with the monitor and the breathing. Then, because that heart still yearned for more, he bent and touched the palm with his lips, feeling the living flesh like a blessing. With infinite care, he folded Hutch’s fingers over the kiss. “Hold on to that, partner, and rest. I’ll back before you know it” He didn’t know at that moment whether he had spoken aloud or not, but it didn’t matter- Hutch heard, and gave the faintest smile as he sank deeper into sleep.

Gil was slight, quiet and unassuming. But as Huggy had once said admiringly “Man, that cat sure knows how to hustle”. Starsky had no real idea how he had got from the hospital to his own kitchen table, showered, in pyjamas and eating soup. But here he was. And the soup, ordinary tinned chicken from his own cupboard, was the most delicious thing he had ever eaten. He had thought that he was beyond food, but he felt it warming and strengthening him, and he found himself asking for more and reaching for another piece of toast.

“Off to bed now.I’ll come in a minute’

Starsky felt as if this was the first time he had ever smiled.

“Yes, mom”

Gil smiled back. “Reckon you’re doing OK”

Ten minutes later, Gil came in carrying two warm mugs and sat on the bed.

“Here. Doctor’s orders”

“What is it?” Starsky sniffed suspiciously, then smiled at the sweet, spicy smell of bourbon and honey and lemon.

“Drink it- it’ll keep the nightmares away”

“Will it? Gil.......”

“David, he’s going to be fine. It’ll take a while, and some of it will be rough. But he’s going to be fine. Now don’t let my dad’s secret recipe get cold. It’s good”

Starsky drained his mug, and yawned hugely.

“Guess I am kinda tired. You staying?You’re welcome to-you know where everything is”

“No- I’ll just clear up then get home. I’ll see you tomorrow. Not too early. Sleep til you wake”

But Starsky was already asleep. Gil finished his own drink, and nodded with satisfaction as he took the mugs to the kitchen to rinse, then slipped the pill bottle he’d left on the counter with the bourbon and the honey back into his pocket. What Starsky didn’t know was that Gil’s dad of the secret recipe had been a doctor too.


End file.
